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Energy companies release environmental database for earth day

The oilsands marked Earth Day with a public environmental database about the industry.

The joint oilsands monitoring data portal, sponsored by the federal and Alberta government, was officially unveiled Tuesday in an attempt to earn public support for the oilsands.

Many industry groups and energy companies, such as Shell and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, already have elaborate tablet apps and online programs touting Alberta’s oilsands industry. However, the government argues this data is more comprehensive than any other public database about the energy industry’s impacts on the environment.

“As the world celebrates Earth Day and showcases commitments to protecting the environment, Canada is contributing and doing its part,” said federal environment minister Peter Kent. “We are delivering on our promise to ensure that scientific data from the monitoring activity is transparent and accessible.”

“By openly reporting on our data and our progress, we are ensuring the rest of the world recognizes our commitment to responsible and sustainable resource development,” she said.

Under the “latest data” section, the database concludes “the levels of contaminants in water and in air are not a cause for concern.”

“Good data is better than bad data, but the tarsands monitoring system is still not independent and governments still aren’t using it to make better decisions,” said Greenpeace campaigner Mike Hudema. “There is no indication of when, or even if, this will become a truly independent monitoring regime as recommended by the federal government’s scientific panel.”

Despite Hudema’s concerns, the page does not shy away from negative news. It acknowledges air samples close to some oilsands mines and upgrading facilities have had pollution levels twice as high as samples collected from sites further away.

The page also admits some water samples had metal concentrations surpassing federal and provincial environmental guidelines.

You can access the portal, for free, at www.JointOilSandsMonitoring.ca.